The Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) debate team has achieved a historic victory, winning the 2024 National Tourism Debate competition.
The team, representing the British Virgin Islands, defeated Precious Treasures International School from the Turks and Caicos Islands in a closely contested final.
Held on Friday, July 12, via a virtual platform, the final saw the ESHS trio, comprising Adrianne Thomas, Naomi Onwufuju, and Kande Richardson, secure the championship with a total of 941 points, edging out Precious Treasures’ 934 points.
The BVI team passionately argued in favour of the moot: “Increasingly devastating super storms and earthquakes make our number one tourism industry risky business for the Caribbean.”
Richardson, leading the team as Prime Minister, set the stage with compelling opening remarks and a clear outline of their critical points. Deputy Prime Minister Naomi followed, delivering a detailed analysis of the risks posed by increasing super storms and earthquakes to the region. Thomas, as the Third Member of the House of Assembly, delivered a powerful supporting argument before Naomi returned with a comprehensive rebuttal to seal the victory for the BVI team.
Chief Judge Mrs. Bertha Cooper-Rosseau, an Attorney at Law in the Bahamas, announced the results, commending both teams for their exceptional performance.
She noted that the judges faced a particularly challenging decision, which took longer than usual to finalize. Mrs. Cooper-Rosseau also awarded Naomi the Overall Best Speaker prize for her outstanding performance in the final.
Before reaching the final, the ESHS debate team showcased their prowess by defeating Jamaica’s Knox College in the semi-final, achieving a record-breaking score of 1038, the highest ever recorded in the history of the competition.